How can FCD be properly prepared for start of season?

Zero, zilch, nada. That is how many fellow MLS sides FC Dallas is playing during preseason, which makes them the only member of Major League Soccer not playing at least one of their fellow clubs during preseason.

Clubs with fewest MLS foes this preseason:

MLS Foes in Preseason

Club

0

FC Dallas

1

LA Galaxy

2

Columbus, Montreal

Clubs with most MLS foes this preseason:

MLS Foes in Preseason

Club

5

D.C. United, Houston, New England, Portland, Seattle, Toronto

4

Chicago, Vancouver

Some might wonder how much the caliber of preseason competition really matters? Well, it does matter for one simple reason. It's hard to get an accurate read on players, especially those who are new to a club or when a coach is a new hire against anything less than even competition.

It's not all that surprising that the LA Galaxy aren't playing more than in-state rival San Jose this preseason in terms of fellow MLS clubs, especially since the CONCACAF Champions League starts up in March.

But seeing FCD with no MLS teams on their preseason schedule is a bit puzzling and unacceptable. It seems like the front office might have been so focused on hiring a head coach, a decision which it appears they got right with the return of Oscar Pareja, that preseason planning was either not done or done at the last minute.

One example is the fact that none of the matches for the club's recent trip to the United Arab Emirates were announced before they departed for the Middle East and that the two matches for this week's upcoming trip to Bradenton, Florida weren't announced until last week, presumably because they had yet to be finalized.

However, the fact the team has no home preseason matches and also won't face a single fellow MLS side this preseason is something that should not happen.

In fact, it's never happened in recent history. Of course, the true acid test as to whether or not FCD is ready to play will come in their March 8 season opener against Montreal, but it will also come in their first five or six games when it will be evident if preseason prepared this team more than adequately or if the club has to play catch up the first four or six weeks of the season.

And if Dallas gets off to a good start, all this discussion about a weak preseason slate is moot, but until that happens and if it happens, talking about a preseason schedule that seems at best merely thrown together is definitely a valid point of discussion, especially when viewed in the context of a team that hasn't made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.